April is Earth Month, which means celebrating the steps that individuals and groups take to help the Earth. Charleston Tea Plantation and the Bigelow family are committed to making a difference and protecting our environment. Bigelow Tea’s Mission Statement is “do the right thing and good things will follow,” and here at CTP, we apply that mission to our environmental commitment.

When growing and producing tea, we make sure that none of our practices harm the environment. That starts with using absolutely no pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or insecticides in the fields. With our custom irrigation system, we rely solely on rain and pond water to hydrate our plants, allowing us to conserve water.

We use waste from stems and fibers from made tea and the production process as mulch in the fields. This organic mulch helps the soil retain water, inhibits weed growth, and even prevents sloping ground from soil erosion. It also breaks down over time, providing an environment for earthworms and other beneficial insects. Our mulch is great for the environment as well as our plants.

Our environmental commitment continues off the fields as well. We use XLERATORⓇ electric hand dryers in our restrooms, which are a much more environmentally friendly option than paper towels. Not to mention, they use 80% less energy than other conventional hand dryers.

Our employees are just as committed to protecting the environment, with all of us taking small steps around the plantation to make a difference. “Green Goals” are incorporated into our employee and departmental goals, making the commitment to the environment a company wide priority. One of our main goals is to reduce the amount of paper used around the office by tracking deparment paper use and using both sides of the paper when printing and copying. We also post “Weekly Green Tips” around the office to educate and inspire employees to always think green.

Here at Charleston Tea Plantation and the Bigelow Tea Company, it is extremely important to us to protect the environment, especially during Earth Month. We hope that through our commitment to the environment, we can inspire our employees, our visitors, and our entire community.